Interactive rendering of building information model data

1. A system for generating an interactive rendering from building information model data, comprising: at least one central processing unit that interoperates with other computing hardware; a data extractor that is configured to control operation of said at least one central processing unit, and via said control, selects and copies building information model data for use as extracted rendering data via said control; a data transformer that is configured to control operation of said at least one central processing unit, and via said control, identifies portions of said extracted rendering data that constitute objects for visualization and navigation within an interactive rendering environment, and wherein said data transformer generates object data representing said objects; an interactive rendering program generator that is configured to control operation of said at least one central processing unit, and via said control, inputs said extracted rendering data and said object data and that outputs a set of dynamic rendering instructions and dynamic rendering data for interoperation with an interactive rendering program, and wherein said dynamic rendering instructions, that are configured to direct operation of a computing resource for presenting a dynamic rendering to a user, said dynamic rendering is controlled via real time interaction between said interactive rendering program and said user.

2. The system of claim 1 including the utilization of one or more network accessible computing resources.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said interactive rendering program is transmitted from said network accessible computing resources to another computer.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said building information model data is transmitted from a computer to said network accessible computing resources.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said building information model data and said interactive rendering program reside on different computers.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said dynamic rendering is configured to occur at a rate of at more than 20 frames per second.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said interactive rendering program inputs commands from said user via an input device, and wherein said commands interactively direct said interactive rendering program to dynamically render a walking path through a virtual three dimensional space, said virtual three dimension space being defined by said building information model data.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said walking path is viewed relative to a virtual camera location that is repositioned in response to said commands in real time and where said location that is repositioned renders a sequence of one or more viewing perspectives in response to said commands.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said viewing perspectives simulate at least one of, lighting effects and effects of motion blur, of high dynamic range imaging, of anti-aliasing or of depth of field.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said lighting effects are pre-computed and stored as one or more lighting map textures.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said lighting effects include at least one of soft shadows, color bleeding and ambient occlusion.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said interactive rendering program is configured to perform a dynamic rendering of a virtual three dimensional space that incorporates a lighting effect based upon at least one defined source of light.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said interactive rendering program is configured to perform said dynamic rendering that incorporates an effect of solar orientation upon ambient light within a three dimensional space of said dynamic rendering.

14. The system of claim 4 wherein said dynamic rendering data is stored, at least in part, within a structured file format.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said structured file format is an Autodesk FBX standard format.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said structured file format includes serialized data describing doors, lights, project geographical coordinates, project name, client name, solar orientation, time of day and views or materials.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said data transformer employs a 3dsMax utility program supplied by Autodesk.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said 3ds Max utility program is operated and extended by a software module utilizing a 3ds Max application programming interface.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said dynamic rendering is performed using rendering algorithms developed for use in video games.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said rendering algorithms are in accordance within a Unity game development environment.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said data transformer employs a Unity Game Editor application programming interface.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein said data extractor operates as a plug-in module into building information modeling software.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said building information modeling software is a Revit product supplied by Autodesk.

24. An apparatus for generating an interactive rendering from building information model data, comprising: a data extractor that selects and copies building information model data for use as extracted rendering data; a data transformer that identifies portions of said extracted rendering data that constitute objects for visualization and navigation within an interactive rendering environment, and wherein said data transformer generates object data representing said objects; an interactive rendering program generator that inputs said extracted rendering data and said object data and that outputs a set of dynamic rendering instructions and dynamic rendering data for interoperation with an interactive rendering program, and wherein said dynamic rendering instructions direct operation of a computing resource for presenting a dynamic rendering to a user, said dynamic rendering is controlled via real time interaction between said interactive rendering program and said user.

25. A method for generating an interactive rendering from building information model data, comprising the steps of: providing a data extractor that selects and copies building information model data for use as extracted rendering data; providing a data transformer that identifies portions of said extracted rendering data that constitute objects for visualization and navigation within an interactive rendering environment, and wherein said data transformer generates object data representing said objects; providing an interactive rendering program generator that inputs said extracted rendering data and said object data and that outputs a set of dynamic rendering instructions and dynamic rendering data for interoperation with an interactive rendering program, and wherein said dynamic rendering instructions direct operation of a computing resource for presenting a dynamic rendering to a user, said dynamic rendering is controlled via real time interaction between said interactive rendering program and said user.